Molecular typing of Mycobacterium chelonae isolates from a pseudo-outbreak involving an automated bronchoscope washer.
We describe a pseudo-outbreak of Mycobacterium chelonae infection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 9 patients that was traced to contamination of an automated bronchoscope washer. Molecular typing using repetitive extragenic palindromic polymerase chain reaction was helpful in confirming epidemiologic and clinical findings.
Chroneou
Alexandra
A
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Lahey Clinic Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts 01805, USA.
Zimmerman
Sarah K
SK
Cook
Steven
S
Willey
Sandra
S
Eyre-Kelly
Jane
J
Zias
Nikolaos
N
Shapiro
Daniel S
DS
Beamis
John F
JF
Craven
Donald E
DE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D020680:Bronchoscopes / Q000382:microbiology*; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D004203:Disinfection / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000382:microbiology*; D016926:Mycobacterium chelonae / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification